Eastern Europe holiday

Environment: This 66 day long adventure through Eastern Europe visits some of the most fascinating landscapes, beautiful national parks and an abundance of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We adhere to strict guidelines when visiting historical points of interest and ensure that we have limited impact on the area. This includes no littering, respecting all signs and barriers and generally ensuring the area is left as we find it. Entrance fees for UNESCO sites go back into the restoration and protection of the buildings which is vital for keeping them alive for generations to come.

Group Size: The maximum group size on this tour is 17 people. Small group tours lessen the impact that tourists have on destinations and ensure that we are not causing too much disruption to local communities and environments.

Education: By bringing our travellers to these incredible places, bursting with history and culture, we hope to educate and bring awareness of what many of these countries faced throughout history. This tour visits the Baltic countries which were heavily affected during World War II and the Soviet Rule. By visiting these places, joining local walking tours and speaking with guides, we are spreading awareness regarding some of the horrors which the people of these nations faced and educating the global community in the process. This tour includes a guided tour of Auschwitz Concentration Camp, a poignant reminder of the atrocities that occured during World War II.

Transport: This tour uses trains, buses, minivans and the local transport infrastructure within cities such as metros and trams. No flights are used for transportation during this tour. Using public transport is one of the best ways to keep your carbon footprint low while supporting the local economy. Between Moscow and Veliky Novgorod, we use an overnight train. From Vienna to Bratislava, we take a river boat which not only is a wonderfully relaxing way to travel while taking in your surroundings, but it’s also a very environmentally friendly form of transport. In the vast majority of locations our hotels are located within walking distance of the main sites, meaning our groups can easily walk around the cities.

Wildlife and animal protection is important to us and while Europe has much more responsible animal practises than other countries there is always room for improvement. Romania unfortunately used to use bears and bear cubs as attractions outside of restaurants and for human entertainment, and while this practise is now illegal, it left many bears in captivity and unable to fend for themselves in the wild. One of the recommended optional excursions on this trip is a visit to the Brasov Bear Sanctuary - a centre for rescued bears where they are cared for and have space outdoors to live out the remainder of their lives. In 2007, when Romania joined the European Union, the standard that zoos had to meet increased to the stage where many did not comply and were forced to shut. Many of the bears faced euthanasia, but were rescued by the sanctuary. All monies paid for entrance fees and in the shop go towards the care of the bears here.